Vehicle operated gate



July 21, 1931. H. DQESKEN 5 9 VEHICLE OPERATED GATE Filed Nov. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

.A ElJ/y Zaeskezz ATTORNEKI Jufiy 21, 1931. H. DOESKEN 398359193 VEHICLE OPERATED GATE Filed Nov. 15. 1929 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Human Mm HIS ATTORIVEK Patented July 21, 1931 ears nanny nonsnnn, on LOS ANGELES', cnmsonnre, ass'renoa or dun-HALF To estates nn LE FOND, OF Los' ANGELES, CALIFORNIA VEHICLE ornaarrnn GATE Application filed November 1a, 1929. Serial no. 406,846.

This invei'itioii relates to gates and has particular reference to a gate meelranism operable by an approaching vehicle to close or open the gate I 'ihe'gene'ral object of the present invention is to provide a simple, dependable and inexpensive device of the character described. More particularly niy object is to provide, in such a device, only such instrunientalities as have'beenfound reliable and durable. To this vend iny invention consists in the combinations hereinafter fully set forth and illustrated in the appended drawings, 01" which: i Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the invention, and.

Fig. 2 is a si'deelevation, on a' larger scale, substantially in agreement with the foregoing view.

The structure of my invention comprises a hollow, vertical cabinet, or post 1, on the side of which agate is pivotally hung. This gate consists of a barrier 2, rigidly mounted on a vertical member 3. The latter turns on pivots l and 5, and it is at the top provided with a bevel gear 6 in mesh with a bevel gear 7 of a transverse shaft 8. v

Vertically slidable within the post 1 is a weighted member, or cage 20, and this cage is held suspended from a sprocket wheel 10 of the shaft S'by means of a chain 9. XVithin the cage'20'is pivoted a short shaft 21 on which are mounted adrum 22am a bevel gear 23 The latter isheld permanently in mesh with a bevel gear '24; of an electric motor 25. One end of the chain 9 is att'achecl to the drum 22 and the other end is secured'to the top of the cage. When the motor 25 is energized it r o tates the drum, thereby. winding the chain onto the drum and elevating the cage, This, the normal position of the gate and cage at rest is indicated in Fig. 2. W'hen'the motor current is'again disrupted and the cage otherwise released, it tall'sby its own weight. Be; causethe chain 9 is hung on the sprocket 10, andthe latter isrigid with the shaft Sand the'bevel' gear 7, it isseen that this winding and unwinding of the drum and chainres'ults'in rotation ot-said shaft in opposite directions and in corresponding movements of thegate barrier.

For the purpose of this descrip Q 1i let it be assumed, that the strueture of my invention i's'pla'ced on a highway, at a railroad crossing", and that an electric line extendsjroni, the device a predetermined distance along therailroad track, terminating in a si'viteh, ris such circuit is well known and eiiipl'oyed in i511- road bloek signal systems, it is herein merely diagrammatically illustrated by switch 30, which is closed by contact with the wheels of an approaching train, a source of eleetricenergy 31, and a relay 32 or the type used in block signal systems. r i g The relay 32 controls a power circuit (spa ating the struc't uie, and this circuit is vener gized by a suitable source of electri power 15. From the latter extends a con diic tortoa switch 33, and this switch controls circuits through a solenoid magnet Maud the motor 25. Wires from the other side of the power source 15 are shownleading to the opposite terminals of said solenoid and motor. -a druni'of the cage shaft 21 is mounted a brake band 35, which issuitably connected to be operated theplunger of the solenoid normally to maintain the cage elevated In Fig. 2 the solenoid circuit is shown closed andthebra'lte set. I i A train reaches and closesthe switch 30, thereby energizing the relay to break the solenoid circuit and to release the brake, ermittin'g thecage to descend and'ito swing the gate to closethe road which the train is about to cross. Now it is noticed, that a rojecQ tion 12, of the chain, has held the switch 33 in positiontomaintainthe solenoid circuit closed. Theiiioment' the cage comnicnces to descend it is to be noted, that this projection begins to travel away, leaving the switch free to be thrown, by gravity or otherwise, andto close the motor circuit. iowever, so long as the rail switch remains closed, the meter circuit is dormant, and the gate closed, until the traiiihas passed the crossing and the switch 3O again is released. The power circuit then' b'ecoines energized, the motor starts up and commences to wind the chain up, to'elevate the cage, and thereby to open the gate. The projection 12 again throws the switch 33, thereby breaking the motor circuit and closing the solenoid circuit to set the brake.

In order to regulate the movement of the gate, which should ordinarily travel through an arc of ninety degrees, it is well to make the projection 1?. adjustable on the chain. I/Vhen the cage reaches the limit of its required downward movement, the chain is found to be entirely unwound, and further movement of the cage is thereby prevented. For the purpose of relieving strain on the chain, should the cage stay in this position for a protracted period of time, or if the chain is disconnected for inspection or replacement, suitable elements, such as projecting rests 11 may be provided in the wall of the post. Means should also be provided to guide the cage, and such means is shown to comprise a pair of guide rails l3, l4 engaging bifurcated projections of the cage.

From the foregoing description it is seen, that a circuit normally is closed through the solenoid EA, to hold the cage elevated and the gate open to transverse trafiic. tric devices employed are similar to those used in block signal systems and have proved to be dependable and durable. Should, however, an electric disruption appear at any place, such mishap will be seen to result in a release of and lowering of the cage, and a consequent closing of the gate. Nothing can occur within the device to prevent the gate from closing except, of course, a complete mechanical break down, which is not likely to happen, as such devices are subject to careful and periodical inspection.

Because more current is required to close the solenoid and to set the brake, than is needed to maintain this magnet closed, I prefer to provide an additional solenoid magnet 36, and to mount a switch 37 for operation by the plunger 38 of this magnet. In the drawings this plunger 38 is shown connected to open the switch 37 at the end of its upward stroke, thereby cutting out this magnet. Through the medium of a rocker 39 the two magnets are connected for simultaneous movement, and for this reason the plunger 38 is held elevated to maintain the switch open so long as the main solenoid 34 remains energized. In this manner both magnets are employed to set the brake, but only one is required to maintain it set.

The gate of my invention swings in a horizontal plane, and one of the most important features of the invention is, that the gate is free to swing in'either direction in response to pressure by any outside source, independent of the above described operating mechanism. Should a vehicle approach and strike the closed, or closing gate, no damage to gate or vehicle will result, where such collision would damage or destroy the ordinary types of railroad gate. This feature will now be more fully explained. The cage descends as The elecfar as it can, to close the gate. If a collision should occur at this time, and the impact is in the same, closing direction, a further rotation of the sprocket wheel takes place and, because the chain is fully unwound, this rotation results in an elevation of the cage and a slackening of the chain on the opposite side of the sprocket wheel.

i-V hen an object strikes the gate from the opposite direction, such collision also results in an elevation of the cage, but in this case the slack in the chain is found on the drum side. Should a collision occur while the cage is in motion, the attendant gate movement would result in winding or unwinding the chain on the drum. Such slackening of the chain would, in itself, be of no consequence, but because of the limited space within the port and the danger of the slackened chain come into contact with some part of the electrical control mechanism, I prefer to pro vide means for taking up such slack. For the sake of clearness such means is shown to consist in a pair of idlers 40, 41, from which a pair of weights 42, L3 are held suspended. On these idlers are mounted guides for the chain, such guides being shown to comprise a plurality of pins 44. The weights should be heavy enough to rotate the idlers to take up any slack in the chain, but not so heavy as to interfere with the normal movement of the chain.

The statement, that the gate may be struck by an approaching vehicle without attendant damage to the gate, presupposes that the barrier 2 is made very light, strong and flexible. An ordinary barrier would, perhaps, suffer by a sudden, violent impact, but my gate is, and must be, specially designed and constructed to yield without being damaged. All the sections, except the oining section 70, may be exactly alike but gradually and uniformly diminishing in size.

Where the gate is used to close the entrance to private property, it is seen that the closing of the relay circuit by an approaching v-ehicle operates to open the gate for the passage of this vehicle. The drawings are merely illustrative of my invention, no attempt having been made properly to proportion the structure, this being the function of a competent engineer. I only wish to state that, the lighter and more flexible the gate barrier is, the less the danger of damaging the gate and the cheaper the whole structure may be made.

I claim:

1. In a gate, the combination with a tubular post, of a barrier hung on said post, a cage vertically slidable within the post to swing said barrier back and forth, a power circuit, an electric motor in said circuit to elevate said cage, a brake, a magnet in the circuit to set said brake normally to maintain the cage elevated, a switch, elements connected with the cage to throw said switch thereby to cut out said motor and cut in the said magnet, and a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit.

2. In a gate, a weatherproof casing, a barrier hung on said casing, a cage vertically slidable within the casing and connected to swing said bar 'ier back and forth, a power circuit within the casing, a motor on the cage and operable by power from said circuit to raise the cage, an electrically operated brake mechanism in the cage, means for cutting out said motor when the cage is elevated and to cut in said brake mechanism to hold the cage elevated, and a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit.

3. In a gate, a tubular post, a cage vertically slidable within the post, electrically controlled means for elevating said cage to close the gate and to maintain the cage elevated, and means actuated by a passing vehicle to release the cage and permit it to sink by its own weight and to open the gate.

4. Ina gate, a tubular post, a cage vertically slidable within the post, a barrier hung to swing horizontally on the post, means interconnecting said cage and barrier for simultaneous movement, said means including a drum within said cage, a sprocket wheel in the post above the cage, a chain on said sprocket wheel at one end fastened to said drum and at the other end to the cage, 2. power circuit, a motor in said circuit to raise the cage, an electrically operated brake mechanism in the cage, a switch in the cage, an element on the chain to throw said switch to cut out said motor and cut in said brake, and a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit.

5. In a gate, a weatherproof casing, a cage vertically slidable within the casing to move the gate, a power circuit, a motor in said circuit for elevating said cage, a brake to hold the cage elevated, a magnet in the circuit to set said brake, means to cut out the motor and cut in said magnet, an auxiliary magnet to assist in setting the brake, means operable by the plunger of said magnet to cut out this magnet after the brake is set, and a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit.

6. In a gate, a vertically disposed casing, a cage slidable within said casing, means guiding the movement of the cage, electrically controlled means for elevating the cage within the casing to close the gate, electrically controlled means for maintaining the cage elevated, and means actuated by a passing vehicle to release the cage and permit it to sink by its own weight, thereby to open the gate.

7. In a gate, a cage vertically movable to swing the gate, a sprocket wheel above said cage, a drum in the cage, a chain extending from said drum over said sprocket to the top of the cage, a power circuit, means in said circuit for turning said drum to elevate the cage and to maintain it elevated, a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit, thereby to permit said cage to fall until said chain is unwound, the gate being free to yield to external pressure in either direction, thereby turning said sprocket wheel and elevating the cage with the result that a slack develops in the chain on either side of the sprocket, and means for taking up such slack.

8. In a gate, a tubular post, a mechanism vertically movable within said post, a vertically disposed rod pivotally mounted on said post, a barrier rigidly secured to said rod, connections between said mechanism and the said rod for swinging said barrier in response to movement of said mechanism, said connections permitting the barrier to be moved by outside agencies independent of the movement of said mechanism, a power circuit controlling the movement of said mechanism, and a relay circuit operable by a passing vehicle to break said power circuit.

9. In a gate, a cage vertically movable, a barrier connected to be swung horizontally by said cage, a power circuitcontrolling the upward movement of the cage, means in said circuit for maintaining said cage elevated, and a relay circuit operable by an approaching vehicle to break said power circuit, there- U by to permit the cage to descend.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affiXed my signature.

HENRY DOESKEN. 

